June 14, 2005

Dear Dr. Mims:

As leaders of almost fifty statewide pro-family organizations from around the country, we are excited about the ‘Resolution on Homosexuality in Public Schools.’  Our signatures below represent the hundreds of thousands of individuals who are concerned about the presence of homosexual tolerance and diversity programs within the public school system in America .

Passage of this resolution would be a step in the right direction in protecting our most precious legacy – our children.  There are reports that teachers and students who have deeply held religious beliefs have actually been ostracized and ridiculed for their belief that engaging in homosexual behavior is wrong.  Many times students are taught that these beliefs are due to “homophobia” and hate. And sadly, these teachings can cause a great many to question their parents’ and their own beliefs, as well as the origin of those beliefs – the Bible.

Being involved in public policy on a daily basis, we encounter first hand the detrimental affects that homosexual activism has on the children in our nation’s public school system.  Parents must be made aware of such activity.  We see what the presence of Gay-Straight Alliances, Diversity Clubs and other ‘social change’ clubs do to the atmosphere within the school – “No Name Calling Week,” “Day of Silence,” tolerance classes, diversity training for students and teachers alike.  Many times even ‘safe-sounding’ activities such as anti-bullying, safe schools or anti-harassment programs are used by homosexual organizations to get their message that “gay is okay” through the schoolhouse doors.  In fact the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) Executive Director Kevin Jennings admitted in 1995 how he used “safety” to mislead the Massachusetts legislature into adopting a pro-homosexual agenda for that state’s schools.

 Titling our report “Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth,” we

 automatically threw our opponents onto the defensive and stole their best

 line of attack.  This framing short-circuited their arguments and left them

back-pedaling from day one.”

The evidence clearly points to the fact that homosexual activists are out to change the hearts and minds of the nation into accepting their lifestyle.  What more effective way than to target our children who are a captive audience within the four walls of their school?   Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and GLSEN are just two examples of organizations which specifically target children.  From GLSEN’s same-sex marriage curriculum – which falsely equates that cause with the noble struggle for Black civil rights -- to PFLAG’s “From Our House to the Schoolhouse,” a step-by-step guide that promotes homosexuality and transgenderism in the name of making local schools less ‘discriminatory and more diverse,’ our nation’s schools – and thus our children – are the targets.

We join Dr. Rick Scarborough in “commend(ing) the spirit of the resolution” and urge the Resolutions Committee to quickly place the Resolution on Homosexuality in Public Schools before the entire Southern Baptist Convention so that the messengers will be given an opportunity to vote on this important issue during the June 21 -- 22 meeting in Nashville .  We also agree with Dr. Scarborough that if this resolution is not brought forth for a vote, “(T)hat would be unfortunate indeed. Whatever messengers decide to do, given the gay indoctrination all too prevalent in our public schools, this is a matter that deserves serious discussion.”

Sincerely,

Mark May, President

American Family Association of Alabama

Bob Hester, President

American Family Association of Arkansas

Micah Clark, Executive Director
American Family Association of Indiana

Gary Glenn, President

American Family Association of Michigan

Dr. David Smith, President

American Family Association of Mississippi

R.L. Beasley, President

American Family Association of Missouri

Rev. Mark H. Creech, Executive Director

Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc.

Jim Hill, President

American Family Association of Oregon

Diane Gramley, President

American Family Association of Pennsylvania

Tammy Bellinger, State Director
Concerned Women for America of Arizona

Cindy Moles, Director
Concerned Women for America of California

San Diego/Imperial Counties

Jane Carron, State Director
Concerned Women for America of Florida

Tanya Ditty, State Director

Concerned Women for America of Georgia  

Tamara Scott, State Director

Concerned Women for America of Iowa

Deborah R. Young, State Director
Concerned Women for America of Louisiana

Charla Bansley, State Director

Concerned Women for America of Maine

Tammy Mosher, State Director

Concerned Women for America of Massachusetts

Linda Schauer, State Director

Concerned Women for America of South Dakota

Pat Hanson, Director,

Concerned Women for America , Texas-South

Eunie Smith, President

Eagle Forum of Alabama  

Violet Vestevich, President

Eagle Forum of Michigan

Bob Bevill, Chairman

Eagle Forum of New Hampshire

Fran Bevan, President

Eagle Forum of Pennsylvania

Bobbie Patray, President

Eagle Forum of Tennessee

Cathie Adams, President

Texas Eagle Forum

Helen Blackwell, Chairman

Virginia Eagle Forum

Len Munsil, President

The Center for Arizona Policy

Jerry Cox, President

Arkansas Family Council 

John Stemberger, President and General Counsel

Florida Family Action, Inc.

Peter LaBarbera, Executive Director

Illinois Family Institute

Chuck Hurley, President

Iowa Family Policy Center

Kent Ostrander , Executive Director

Kentucky Family Foundation 

Gene Mills, Executive Director
Louisiana Family Forum

Tom Prichard, President

Minnesota Family Council

Steve Kidder, Executive Director

New York Family Policy Council

Bill Brooks, President
North Carolina Family Policy Council

Phil Burress, President

Citizens for Community Values ( Ohio )

Michael L. Jestes, Executive Director

Oklahoma Family Policy Council

Michael Geer, President
Pennsylvania Family Institute

Robert E. Regier, Executive Director
South Dakota Family Policy Council

Julaine K. Appling, Executive Director

Family Research Institute of Wisconsin

Grady Arnold, Executive Director
GetTheKidsOut.org

James A. Boyes, Host

Christian Education Awareness Network (CEANet)

Dr. Nancy Couch MD, President

Parents Promoting Innocence

John W. Geisler President

Michigan Republican Assembly

Brannon Howse, President & Founder

Worldview Weekends of America

Scott Lively

Abiding Truth Ministries

Duane Motley, Executive Director

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms

Mrs. Elizabeth Watkins, Founding Director of SBCHEA
(Southern Baptist Church & Home Education Association)

Cc: Dr. Bobby Welch

       Mrs. Penna Dexter

       Rev. T.C. French

       Gary Ledbetter

       Dr. Greg Mathis

       Dr. Jeff Moore

       Mrs. Barbara O’Chester

       Rev. Joseph Rodgers

       Ms. Ida South

       Dr. David Wilson